Nearly every modern industry is becoming increasingly dependent upon automation technology. From manual labor jobs such as construction workers, to more surprising industries such as insurance, the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence is on the rise.
The benefits and opportunities this brings are, of course, very exciting. Robotic “workers” can create safer work environments by completing necessary tasks in more high-risk work areas, for example, those compromised by dangerous chemicals. Automation can also result in higher productivity and more time available for business-critical and creative thought, rather than day-to-day task work.
The marketing function in particular sees increased benefits from machine learning. According to the Warc Toolkit 2017 report, produced in association with Deloitte Digital, 58% of global CMOs believe that within the next five years, companies will need to compete in the artificial intelligence space in order to succeed.
Will Your Marketing Job Be Given to a Robot?
With these solutions, marketing experts are better able to find their target customers and learn their needs and wants. According to Gartner’s study The State of Marketing 2016: What Gartner for Marketing Leaders’ Research Surveys Reveal, marketers are expected to overtake IT in technology spending in 2017.
However, as more and more marketers implement new technology and automation solutions, so comes the expected fear of job losses. If robots and automation are taking over certain tasks, what will that mean for the people who do them today? Do marketers need to fear losing their jobs to robots?
The short answer? Not really. It’s true that some of the more “low-value” and mechanical tasks may be taken care of through marketing automation solutions, but the role of the marketing expert is not being lost to robots. Instead, it is evolving into something new and, as we see it, something much more exciting. Here’s how:
Big Data Creates an Increased Need for Intelligent Analysis
Big data is a term coined to represent the massive amount of information that inundates a business every day. The level and amount of big data provided by artificial intelligence marketing (AIM) solutions can be one of the most valuable resources a brand can possess. This level of insight gives marketers access to an increasing number of relevant metrics and parameters, allowing them to see the decisions of countless web users and, over time, shedding light on important trends and relationships.
This, in turn, means digital marketing experts can really look into the minds of current and potential customers to develop personalized marketing strategies. AIM solutions offer ways to bridge the gap between data science and execution, but only for marketers who can see and make those connections. While AIM solutions and marketing automation technology can help, and provide excellent information on customers, they are no match for the analytical and creative brains of marketing teams.
More Time for Strategic Thought
Speaking of the creative brains of marketing teams, nearly all of them struggle to dedicate the time and energy necessary for truly creative, high-level, business critical thought. AIM empowers marketing teams with that very luxury. The process of sifting through and analyzing huge piles of data was once an insurmountable process; now, it is not only feasible, but it’s actually easy.
So, rather than spending hours organizing data, or setting and monitoring email activity or social media conversations, marketers can lean on the technology do that for them, using their newly available time to focus on creating more effective strategy, capitalizing on this new information. These are new opportunities for marketing experts to contribute to a growing business in more impactful ways.
No Substitute for the Human Touch
While AI Marketing and automation technologies can help marketers find more information about their customers, while decreasing the amount of time spent on mechanical tasks, they can never replace the human touch that effective marketing requires. It’s true that the more specific technology available and implemented, the more marketing teams need to update their skills and expertise to better leverage their investments.
However, entirely automating and relying fully on AIM solutions, without a skilled human brain behind it, just won’t work. The best and brightest marketers understand that, and use the data these technologies provide to enhance, NOT replace, their own human understanding.
Final Thoughts
Marketing automation and AIM technology are here, and likely here to stay, but fearing that these robots will eliminate critical marketing roles just isn’t necessary. The role may change and develop alongside the technology, but no matter the industry, marketing will always be a spot for creative, adaptive minds.
Learn more about Emarsys’ AIM solutions, and how they revolutionize the marketer’s role through data science.
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